A Willing Heart, Freely Given
by Shadow Oblivion
Summary: Law knew that he could only take so much before he would have to give it back in the end, no matter how painful it was going to be. [Zolaw, AU canon, ooc potential. TW: Character death.]


A/N: I posted this fic on Ao3 yesterday, and meant to post it here too, so I am doing so this morning, since it is actually a completed, very long one-shot. This fic came from a zolaw discord chat that got me thinking too much, and all I'll say is that the conversation was about heart swapping, and not the personality switching, and it got more and more depressing as the conversation went on.

This fic kind of snowballed from there with those ideas. Beware of ooc potential, though I tried my best to keep it as ic as possible (FYI, I am leaving the one brief smut scene in this because it is not all that graphic-if it needs to be cut out later, I can do that). Be aware that I am taking a lot of liberties with Law's Devil Fruit powers in this story.

Also, a warning: As the summary states, this fic contains a character death. If you don't want to read that, and the following depressing parts, but are interested in reading the pairing, then read to about the halfway point, before the fic indicates that something goes wrong.

Disclaimer: I own nothing from One Piece. I just fell into zolaw hell and had too much fun writing this, even though it got more depressing as the fic wore on.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

A pirate's way of life was one filled with danger, where one had no idea whether they would wake up and find out that it was the last day of their life.

Trafalgar Law felt he should have been dead many times over, first from amber lead disease, and second, from Doflamingo, and many times in between. Yet Law had lived to see Doflamingo taken down, as had been his goal for most of his life, in order to repay the favor to the one who had first saved his life. It hadn't exactly gone according to plan, but it had worked out in the end. Law had lived, thanks to his alliance with Straw Hat Luffy.

And since he was alive after the fiasco that was Dressrosa, Law actually had time to pursue other things that had been nagging at the back of his mind ever since leaving Punk Hazard.

Law's eyes settled on the person in question.

Roronoa Zoro.

-x-x-x-

Sailing for Dressrosa a week prior…

-x-x-x-

Meeting the younger swordsman's gaze had first piqued Law's interest when they had seen one another on Punk Hazard. It had been a reminder of a low spark that he had briefly experienced at Sabaody two years previous, before things had been thrown into chaos.

Zoro had been one of Straw Hat's crewmates who had been somewhat suspicious of Law's motives on Punk Hazard regarding an alliance, due to Luffy being far too trusting. Law couldn't blame them for being suspicious, but the Heart Pirate captain didn't particularly have anything to hide, expect for the fact that his true desire was to take Doflamingo down. Kaido being inconvenienced was a bonus.

It was only after Punk Hazard was far behind them, and Law on another captain's ship, that he began to become more aware of Zoro. Law took note of the minute movements the other swordsman made while moving about on the Thousand Sunny. It became apparent that the slight shift of Zoro's body was meant to capture Law's attention. Once Law's gaze began to linger, Zoro would tilt his head, his single eye meeting Law's gaze, and then the moment would be broken, as Zoro would move on.

Law was perplexed, not entirely certain what to make of the display.

Yet it kept happening, all over the ship as Law wandered aimlessly. He would find Zoro and watch him, whether it be the man napping, eating, fighting with Sanji, or working out. Law was troubled that he'd taken an interest in Zoro, though to what end, he couldn't be entirely certain.

It was Zoro himself who ended up making the first move late one night.

"Looking for anything in particular?"

Law came to a halt at the question posed to him, and glanced to one sight to study Zoro, who was resting against the railing of the ship. A faint smile could just be made out that tugged at the swordsman's lips. Law could only give a faint shrug of his shoulders before he resumed pacing. He didn't know what he was looking for, but moving helped him think and plan about what was to happen once they reached Dressrosa.

But as each night passed, Law found himself drawn back to Zoro, and he couldn't place his finger on why. Maybe it was because of the way the other swordsman would merely look at him quietly as he walked by, instead of assailing him with questions as Zoro's other crew mates were apt to do if they saw him wandering in the night. It was one of these nights that Zoro had decided that he had had enough of the way Law would wander around the ship with such a lost expression.

-x-x-x-

Law was headed around Straw Hat's ship for the sixth time that night when suddenly, his forearm was seized. Law made as if to draw his blade despite one arm being trapped, when Zoro spoke.

"Hey."

Law narrowed his eyes at Zoro mistrustfully, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Sit down. You're making me tired just watching you."

Law reluctantly did so once Zoro let go of his arm, and laid Kikoku out on the deck within easy reach. Law rested his back against the railing, aware of Zoro nearby, watching him.

"You're still thinking."

"Because no one else on this ship, apart from Nico-ya, seem to be concerned about going to a country ruled by Joker-ya." Law said as he let out some of the exasperation he had been feeling for the past few days. "Someone has to make sure a plan is in place."

"Luffy won't follow it." Zoro commented with a smile. "He'll end up doing what he wants."

Law didn't doubt it, but he could only hope that that wasn't the case this time around. Doflamingo was dangerous. A plan was needed to ensure that this venture ended in success. Law twitched at the sigh that emitted from Zoro, before Law let out a startled sound when the green haired swordsman reached over his shoulders and dropped an arm over them. "What are you…hey!" Law let out an indignant gasp as Zoro forcibly dragged the Heart Pirate close to him.

"What do you think you're doing?" Law demanded as he tried to get away.

"Got to sleep." Zoro merely held onto Law's shoulder tight, and kept the other man trapped against his left side.

Law huffed something, incredulous at the daring of this younger swordsman to try and tell him what to do. Instead of resisting, however, Law grudgingly gave in and sagged against Zoro's side. He was exhausted, after all, and with the excuse of having someone hold him in place, Law had no reason to wander around thinking so hard. Law closed his eyes, and to his complete astonishment, he fell asleep. When he woke early in the morning, he found himself half laid out on Zoro's lap, and the younger man's fingers were trailing lightly through his hair. Law kept his eyes shut, feigning slumber, until Zoro laughed quietly.

"I didn't think you were such a heavy sleeper."

Law didn't dignify that with a response. The moment he realized that he was enjoying the contact a little too much, he extracted himself from Zoro's lap, retrieved Kikoku, and walked off.

He couldn't let his guard down like that again.

-x-x-x-

Law was exhausted. Luffy was tiring to be around, and he'd barely been able to eat anything. With a slow sigh, Law shouldered his nodachi and walked out onto deck, where, after a moment of quiet contemplation, sat down next to the ship's railing. Zoro joined him minutes later, and the two said nothing, each with their own thoughts.

Zoro reached out and drew Law to his side, though less roughly than the last time.

Law stared straight ahead as he felt Zoro lean his head against his shoulder. Soon, Law found Zoro flopping over and onto his lap and falling straight to sleep. Law blinked down at the younger man fast asleep on his lap, and hesitantly ran a hand through his hair. Zoro stirred briefly but continued to sleep. Law clenched his jaw and looked away, but he didn't move his hand from where it was threaded through green hair.

This was dangerous territory. Law needed to be careful. He couldn't afford to become attached to anyone.

-x-x-x-

Zoro worked out to pass the time on the ship, occasionally joining in with his crewmates in their zany antics. That night, however, marked the third since he and Law had started their mutual side by side sleeping. Zoro wasn't sure what it was about the other man, but when Law sat down next to him, Zoro somehow sensed that Law needed something more that night. It could have been because they were getting closer to Dressrosa, or it could have been because of something else. But Zoro ignored all that, and slung an arm over Law's shoulders to hold him against his side, as he had the previous nights.

"Zoro-ya?"

Zoro didn't say anything, and merely held Law in place until the other pirate lapsed into silence. Then, Zoro turned his head and brushed his lips against the side of Law's neck, curious what the other man's response would be. Zoro hadn't expected for there to be a faint moan, even if it was hastily cut off as Law let out a cross sigh and tried to move away from him.

Zoro smiled, catching Law around the middle before he could get very far.

"Zoro-ya." Law's voice was strained, like he was fighting with himself. "We can't do this."

"Come here." Zoro turned Law around, and when Law merely stared at him like he was lost, Zoro urged the pirate captain onto his lap, and held him tightly against his chest. Zoro traced his hands along Law's back, all but feeling the way that Law was warring with himself in his mind. That wouldn't do. Zoro pressed another slow, cursory kiss to Law's throat, which made the Heart Pirate all but collapse against him with a faint sigh.

"We shouldn't." Law muttered against Zoro's shoulder.

"It's fine." Zoro let his hands drag down Law's sides, before he cupped Law's jean-clad ass, wondering if the other man thought he was teasing him. Zoro wasn't. Not for this. Zoro felt Law's arms slowly wrap around his back in return, though the Heart Pirate's movements were hesitant, like he couldn't believe what was happening.

"What do you want from me?" Law asked after a moment, even though he was obviously aware of the way Zoro's mind had gone.

"What will you give me?" Zoro asked in return, hands rubbing little circles around Law's lower back.

"What do you want?" Law asked again, fingers tracing Zoro's back in return.

"You." Zoro said, thinking that that was obvious. He felt Law swallow against his shoulder, and Zoro could have sworn that a faint tremble had gone through Law's entire frame.

"I can't give you everything." Law's voice had dropped to a whisper.

"I didn't ask for more than you." Zoro stated, a little confused by the other swordsman's words.

Law didn't say anything to that.

"The storage room will be empty tonight."

-x-x-x-

Zoro's words hit Law hard, and he couldn't breathe for a moment. He knew what the other swordsman meant, and Law couldn't fathom why now, of all times, Zoro was interested in having sex with him. And for what Zoro had wanted from him to be Law himself….Law had meant it when he said he couldn't give Zoro everything. Though the man didn't seem to understand that yet. Law could have sex, sure, but he would have to guard his heart carefully. He couldn't let it be anything other than an offer of sex. An offer of mutual release.

It really wasn't a good idea…but with the way Zoro's hands roved over him, Law couldn't help but take what was being offered. It had been so long since he had extended trust to another person, especially a bed partner, considering how vulnerable Law would be with them.

"Room." Law called on his powers and brought them to the place Zoro had indicated, and something clenched Law's heart when Zoro briefly let go of him to retrieve what looked like blankets. Law closed his eyes when Zoro crowded him, his hands tracing along Law's clothed body as if mapping him out. Law felt like he was being carried away, apart from his body as Zoro removed each article of clothing, exploring skin until Law felt he'd go mad, until finally, Zoro removed his own clothing.

Law couldn't, wouldn't allow this to mean anything.

It was just sex.

He couldn't allow what happened that night with Zoro to be anything more than two men taking care of a need that had built up. Yet Law couldn't deny, as they drew closer and closer to Dressrosa, that this was something he had wanted. Law wanted to be held after they'd had sex. Wanted, needed to be held down within Zoro's embrace, tangled with the other swordsman's limbs as they rested.

The nights on the Thousand Sunny slowly turned into something far more than casual mutual resting near one another, or sex. But Law couldn't let himself get caught up in it. It was temporary. He couldn't allow the feeling he had when they were entangled in one another's arms as anything but being too tired to move. He needed a way to deny that what could happen in the future could kill them both, in battle with stronger and stronger enemies that may overpower them. They were pirates after all, though it seemed wrong to be taking another captain's subordinate to bed.

Despite wanting to protect his heart, Law found excuses to seek Zoro out, despite the fact that he couldn't allow himself to become attached. Law knew that Zoro would never choose to stay with him over Straw Hat, whom Zoro was loyal to.

-x-x-x-

Dressrosa brought forth painful memories, and it wasn't until it was all over that Law realized he had an entirely different battle to fight. One he doubted he had a chance at winning.

Law didn't know why or how it had happened, but after the party off the coast of Dressrosa, he noticed that his time spent with Zoro was becoming more than just one of physical closeness and mutual release. Somehow, it became more, and this became apparent once they were on board Barolomeo's ship, headed for Zou, and Law found that he had more time to spend with Zoro uninterrupted, even if it was to just watch the other man nap.

-x-x-x-

Present time

-x-x-x-

Law couldn't believe that he had allowed himself to become attached to someone even after all of the times he had reminded himself that it wasn't a good idea. It didn't make sense to Law that his heart, so carefully guarded, had been seized by this younger swordsman somewhere between arriving at Dressrosa and leaving the island. Law dwelled upon this idea of attachment late one night, in a cabin he had managed to get to himself. But he wasn't alone right now. Zoro was resting tucked against his side, limbs thrown over Law as if to keep the Surgeon of Death in place.

Zoro was sleeping; they had fucked earlier.

Law frowned. No. It was too crude to call it that, because somehow, in so little time, sex between the two of them had become lovemaking. It was too nice. Too careful at times. It was a far cry from the first time that they had had sex. That time had been what Law had expected it to be. A harsh crashing of the bodies, the drive and push to release, and then the parting of ways.

Now, Law and Zoro tended to linger with one another for the rest of the night.

And kiss.

That had startled Law, when Zoro had angled their heads in order for their lips to meet for the first time. Law had been just expecting more sex, so he was understandably surprised when Zoro roamed his mouth and encouraged Law to do similarly. Law had protested, but Zoro kept kissing him anyway after that night, and Law hadn't said anything about it since.

Law looked down at Zoro's sleeping face, and couldn't help but smile a little. He highly doubted that Zoro had fallen asleep because of sex. While Law liked to think that he could have worn the other man out, it was probably only because Zoro felt like sleeping. Law reached to run a hand through Zoro's hair, the small smile still on his face. Law's hand froze in its caressing, his eyes widening and his breath catching.

He was falling, and there wasn't anything he could do to stop it. Law wasn't even sure he wanted to stop the feeling welling within his chest. Law stared up at the ceiling of the cabin, his chest tight, torn between allowing himself to let go and allow love into his life, or leave before he and Zoro both got hurt. Law knew that he was in danger of losing his heart completely and yet Zoro hadn't even needed to say anything to let Law drown in him. Didn't have to say anything, as Law was drawn closer and closer until the Heart Pirate didn't know what he would do with himself once the alliance had reached its end.

-x-x-x-

The following morning Law made himself scarce, even if his eyes continued to rove the ship in search of Zoro. Everything about Zoro attracted Law. The physical appearance of the younger swordsman was nice to appreciate, yet it wasn't what truly reeled Law in. It was what couldn't be seen with the naked eye unless one watched closely enough.

The quiet strength.

The devotion Zoro had to his captain.

The power to topple his enemies and the drive to become the best swordsman.

The fond affection given to his crewmates over their antics.

Law had no idea that Zoro was similarly finding things to admire in the Heart Pirate captain.

-x-x-x-

Zoro found Law's gaze lingering on him as the days passed on Bartolomeo's ship. He was aware of the other man's eyes on him, even when Law thought he was being discreet. Zoro was attuned to him already, and it was easy for him to locate the other man, despite his tendency to get lost.

Law radiated a confidence that Zoro found appealing, despite the fact that the man was actually a mess on the inside, but kept himself in control on the outside nonetheless. The way Law wielded his blade was intriguing, and Zoro was looking forward to a convenient time to actually spar with the man. He was interested in how Law would incorporate his powers into his blade work.

The smirk, Zoro found, was used to cover up Law's feelings at times. This made younger swordsman curious over the fact that he received a more genuine smile from the Heart Pirate when they were alone in bed. Zoro absently went to lifting weights, and when his eye sought out Law again, he found the Heart Pirate staring across the deck at him. Zoro offered a hint of a smile, and made a motion to invite Law over.

Law blinked slowly at him, before he tugged his ridiculous puffy hat over his eyes and hastily walked in another direction.

Zoro smiled and focused on lifting weights. Something was bothering the other man, and Zoro figured he could find out, but first, Zoro was going to address why the other man had been avoiding him since the previous night.

-x-x-x-

Law couldn't help himself when Zoro had cornered in the cabin that night, because he knew it had been about him avoiding the other swordsman, even though Zoro had said nothing. He'd merely held Law in his arms, and then brought him to bed, and held him. There was no sex that night, and Law couldn't help but let himself be drawn closer to Zoro until he was holding onto Zoro as tightly as the other man was to him.

Law was hooked, and he knew there was nothing he could do about it. In so little time, he had allowed himself to begin to become attached. Dangerous for a pirate, and a captain, at that, for Law was responsible for the safety of his crew. To attach himself to a pirate from another crew was a bad idea. Even so, Law could feel his resolve weakening as he traced the scar across Zoro's chest. This wasn't supposed to be more than just sex. It was only supposed to have been the movement of body against body and the carnal desires being satisfied. There wasn't supposed to be any emotion brought into this, as it would only bring pain to them both further down the road.

Law knew that he couldn't keep Zoro to himself and he knew that Zoro would never abandon his captain for another. No matter how much Law wanted to keep this swordsman to himself, he couldn't, and was a fool to think for even a moment. There was no way that their few interactions, and more frequent intimacy and general nap taking together would ever make the green haired man abandon his friends.

Besides, Zoro hadn't even given any sign that he was interested more than occasional sex and frequent naps together. Law had to remind himself forcefully that there was nothing between them.

Nothing.

Law woke up the following morning, after having fallen asleep within Zoro's embrace, and found himself looking up into Zoro's eye. The other swordsman was half propped on the bed staring down at him, and Law knew, just knew, that Zoro was interested in more than just sex with him. It hurt Law more than he thought it would after the little amount of time they had spent together. Sure, a pirate's life could be short, unless one made a name for themselves and prospered. But there wasn't anything set in stone, and Law couldn't, wouldn't allow himself fall any further. He wasn't sure that his heart would survive.

"We can't, Zoro-ya." Law felt a pang go through him when he realized that he had provided no context for his words, and yet he knew that Zoro would understand him. That he would remember Law's earlier, similar protest. Law was too far gone at this point. His only hope was that Zoro would agree with him, that they should stop this.

Law should have known better.

Like his captain, Zoro wasn't going to take no for an answer.

Law's eyes closed as Zoro leaned over him, hand tracing up Law's side as Zoro captured his lips in a slow kiss. Law felt another strong hand reach up to tousle his hair gently. When Law was released from the kiss, he blinked dazedly up at Zoro and found that the other man wore a smile while looking down at him.

"We're pirates, aren't we?" Zoro ran a hand along Law's forearm.

"We are." Law said, frowning up at Zoro curiously.

"Pirates take what they want, don't they?" The hand trailed along, tracing the heart tattoo.

"…They do…" Law watched Zoro closely, trying to figure out what he was getting at.

"Then I'm taking what I want." Zoro pulled Law against his chest in order to wrap his arms around Law's back tightly.

Law's heart was beating fast, his mouth dry, but he let the younger man do as he would. Zoro wanted him despite the fact that they couldn't ever really be together. Even now, they were only going to be seeing each other for so long. Soon enough, they would have to go their separate ways. This wasn't going to end well, but Law couldn't deny, lying there in Zoro's arms, that he wanted this. That he wanted to be cared for and loved.

"Relax." Zoro murmured against skin.

Law squeezed his eyes shut before he allowed his entire body to go limp within Zoro's embrace.

Pirates took what they wanted.

Law knew that he could only take so much before he would have to give it back in the end, no matter how painful it was going to be.

Pirates took what they wanted, and Zoro had stolen Law's heart that night.

Law could have resisted, fighting tooth and nail to protect himself. Yet at the sensation of another careful caress and lingering kiss, Law gave in and allowed Zoro to take everything he had to offer.

-x-x-x-

Law had time to carefully build a makeshift shield around his heart as soon as they made it to Zou. He needn't have worried about his state of mind, and what Zoro was doing to him, because there was an interruption in the quiet nights they had been spending together.

For one, Law had been reunited with his crew, and so had been forced to temporarily part ways with Zoro.

Secondly, everything needed to be settled between the Mink and the samurai, and misunderstandings cleared up for the Straw Hats.

After that, everyone seemed to relax, and Law would have thought that meant he could have found some time to be alone with Zoro. But neither Zoro nor Law could find that time to spend together with one another that didn't involve their crewmates. Zoro merely seemed to be amused with this, while Law was both exasperated and relieved. But whenever he met Zoro's eye, Law knew that the green haired swordsman was smiling at him like that because he knew Law longed to touch him, and vice versa. However, Law couldn't bring himself to display affection openly around either of their crews, or the Mink or samurai, so he suffered in silence over a lack of physical contact with Zoro.

This separation translated into extreme sexual frustration for Law because it seemed that, the moment Zoro caught on, the one eyed swordsman did everything in his power to rile Law up.

-x-x-x-

"Hey, Law. Could you use your powers to move those branches?" Zoro could have just spoken to the Heart Pirate, but he had chosen to come over close to him and rest a hand lightly on Law' hip.

Law shot a venomous look, all but daring Zoro to try and touch him more when there were so many people around.

Zoro met Law's eyes and smiled. "Well, can you do that or not?"

"Room." Law easily transported the branches where they needed to go, and while everyone was distracted by the suddenness, Law transported himself and Zoro behind stacked logs in the forest.

Zoro found his lap occupied by a seething pirate captain.

"Are you trying to let everyone know about us?" Law hissed.

"They probably already know by now, with the way that you look at me." Zoro wrapped his arms around Law's back and brought them both onto the ground, and in one fast movement, Zoro had Law pinned on his back. Since no one was around, Zoro dipped his head down and began to kiss his way along Law's neck, smiling at the way Law tilted his head back to expose his throat to Zoro. Something Zoro wasn't even sure that Law was aware of doing, but it ignited a fire of pleasure in Zoro, and he dragged his teeth carefully over the Heart Pirate's throat, feeling Law swallow rapidly beneath him.

"Zoro-ya…" Law breathed out in a near whisper. He needed this. Needed Zoro's touch. Wanted to be held down like this, and be loved. Law heard faint laugh against his skin, before Zoro's warm weight left him. Law opened his eyes dazedly, and found that Zoro had stood up, discreetly adjusting himself. Law half propped himself up, pretty damn sure Zoro could see how turned on he was, what with a damn bulge in his pants.

"We should get back to work." Zoro said, offering a smile, before he walked away.

Walked away.

Law had half a mind to drag Zoro back to finish what the other man had started, but was foiled when his crewmates found him. Law glowered at Zoro that night during dinner, feeling himself riled up even more when Zoro met his eyes and smiled. It drove Law mad, but he didn't give in. He wouldn't give in. Law knew that he should be grateful for the brief separation, so that he could try and build a wall around his heart again. Already, he knew that it was a losing battle, but he couldn't help but try to automatically protect himself.

So, the following day on Zou, Law began to avoid Zoro, but knew, even as he walked alone, that it was a useless endeavor. Zoro seemed to have caught wind of his plans, and ended the teasing before it could continue. That evening, when Law was headed back from a solitary walk after refusing to take part in festivities, the Heart Pirate captain found himself on the receiving end of Zoro's blades.

To say that Law was surprised was an understatement.

-x-x-x-

Law couldn't stand parties, and when one was ramping up between Straw Hat's crew and his own, as well as the Mink and samurai, Law found a way to escape the madness, and sought peace and quiet in the streets of the ruined city.

He wasn't alone.

Law sensed someone running toward him, and while it wasn't bloodlust he sensed, Law reacted and drew Kikoku in time to block a downward slash from Zoro. Eyes met, and Law, sighting the playful smile from where teeth clenched around a katana hilt, couldn't help but return it with a smirk of his own.

There was no need for words right now.

Calling on his powers, Law back stepped away and swung his blade, loving the way Zoro moved so effortlessly out of reach, and came right back at him with another sweep of his blades.

Apparently, Zoro wanted to spar with him tonight. While Law would have preferred another activity altogether, this one was much safer for his heart.

Metaphorically, of course. Law doubted that Zoro would actually stab him, but if Law let his guard down, he very well could be nicked with a sharp blade.

The two made their way through the deserted streets, steel ringing against steel. Law couldn't help but be impressed with Zoro's blade work, but Law pushed himself so that he wasn't bested. He was a captain after all. He had pride as a swordsman too, and ramped up his attacks, warping from one place to another with little smirks because he could sense that Zoro was interested in how he fought. Law hadn't been able to have much time to fight as he would like, so this impromptu sparring that Zoro had begun let him flaunt his ability.

His Devil Fruit gave him an edge in some battles, and Law worked his swordsmanship into it until he knew that he would be hard pressed to fight well if he weren't able to use his abilities. As Law continued to appear and vanish, dancing circles around Zoro playfully, he couldn't deny that it was exhilarating to allow himself freedom of movement.

"You going to come down from there?"

"I rather like the view from up here, Zoro-ya." Law tapped the tip of his blade against the roof of a Mink's home, and smirked down at Zoro, tilting his head to the side. "Perhaps you'd like to join me?" Law raised his nodachi to divert a flying slash Zoro sent his way, but as weak as it was, Law knew it had to be a diversion. And seeing Zoro climb his way up with his bare hands did interesting things to Law's body. It was rather distracting to see sweat glistening on the skin that was visible, and Law almost forgot they were sparring. He nodded to the younger swordsman when he reached the top of the building, before he smirked and vanished.

"Dammit."

Law hadn't expected Zoro to jump down from the building to land an attack, but Law was prepared enough to block the strike. There was more power behind it this time around, and Law wasn't able to compensate for it. With a bite of his lips, Law felt himself driven backward against the wall of the nearest building. Before Law could get a better grip, Zoro batted Kikoku aside, and closed in.

"Devil Fruit powers aren't always going to cut it."

"Hmm, I see." Law hummed thoughtfully as he let his powers fade away. He was aware of the blades resting lightly against his shoulders, the third angled and resting across his throat. "It's what I'm used to." Law allowed his nodachi's blade tip to rest on the ground as he met Zoro's eye, and said nothing more.

Zoro stepped back after a moment longer, and sheathed his katana.

Law sheathed his blade as well as well, though when he looked back at Zoro, he realized that the other man had started to walk away, as if he were going to leave. Law used his powers one more time and threw a rock over Zoro's head, and swapped places with it. Instead of falling ungracefully onto his ass, Law was caught in strong arms and held up with those arms under his backside.

"What was that for?" Zoro looked and sounded amused. "You could have just caught up to me by walking like a normal person."

"You weren't going to leave already, were you?" Law smirked, his breathing still heavy. "Why don't we find a room? Our crews should be occupied well into the night."

"Then let's go." Zoro said, and instead of setting Law down, carried him.

Law was absurdly pleased that he would finally get the younger swordsman to himself, instead of going back to be with his crew. His pleasure was short lived, however, as Zoro set him down, and led him straight back into the heart of the party that was still ongoing. Law fixed Zoro with narrowed eyes, even in the face of Zoro smiling at him. Law didn't have time to beat a hasty retreat, because Zoro got an arm over his shoulder and got him settled on the ground. Grip tight, Law knew that he wasn't going to be going anywhere soon.

Somehow, a cheerful mink realized Law didn't have a drink, and soon, Law found himself with a mug in hand, and friendly were mink greeting him when they caught sight of him. Soon enough, just the word 'garachu' was enough to make Law want to scream and curse and fight his way free of the madness. Instead he stewed, and resigned himself to being assailed by friendly greetings. Law flinched away from the touches after a while, which put him closer against Zoro's side, and it made Zoro let out a laugh. Law shot the younger swordsman a nasty look even as Bepo, caught up in being around fellow mink, went over to greet his captain by pressing up against his side.

Other Heart Pirates laughed and called out to their captain, and after Bepo finished his greeting, he rejoined the rest of the crew.

Law was distinctly ruffled, and in a sour mood at all the merriment around him, though he couldn't help but be fondly exasperated with his own crew.

"Not thirsty?" Zoro asked, discreetly pressing his face against Law's neck.

Law moodily drank from the mug, but before he could set it aside, someone passed by offering refills, and Law found himself with another mug full of alcohol. The Heart Pirate stared at it and then gave Zoro a scandalized look, which only made Zoro laugh harder.

A few drinks later, and Law was being held up by Zoro, who seemed to be unbothered by the amount of alcohol he had consumed that night. Law didn't know when it had happened, but he found himself being carried by Zoro and brought into one of the buildings that had been set aside for the visiting pirates.

"You made me sit through that party." Law slurred accusingly as Zoro settled him on the bed.

"You're in a better mood." Zoro replied. "Even though you're drunk."

Law snuggled closer to Zoro when the man was on the bed, and threw his limbs over Zoro in order to press himself to the younger swordsman tightly.

"You're a clingy drunk, huh?"

Law let out a huff of disagreement, but sighed when Zoro ran a hand through his hair lightly, and then rested it against his back. Law couldn't deny that he slept well that night, his limbs tangled up with Zoro's, even if he had a nasty hangover the following day.

Damn Zoro for being perfectly fine.

-x-x-x-

Law had not foreseen being able to spend so much time alone with Zoro on his submarine once they left Zou. As soon as the younger swordsman had picked up on the fact that Law had had an actual bed in this cabin, Law couldn't keep Zoro from sleeping there every night. Not that Law was opposed to Zoro in his bed, but it made it difficult for Law to think about things when there was usually a half-naked man in his bed.

Or completely naked, as Zoro was sometimes apt to be, if he were in the mood.

Law remembered the second night on the ship, and, worn out from a day of information gathering, entered his cabin, and damn near dropped his nodachi at the sight of Zoro splayed out on the bed, completely naked, and smiling at him. Law had closed the door, set Kikoku aside, and climbed onto the bed over his Zoro despite the fact that he was still fully clothed.

That really hadn't been fair, nor had it been fair for Zoro to insist that Law top that night. Probably because Zoro had noticed how turned on the Heart Pirate had become. Law's coordination that night suffered from the way Zoro's hands roved. It had been a nice distraction from all that was going on, but Law never let the small voice in the back of his mind forget to tell him that he needed to be careful.

-x-x-x-

Time seemed to blur with preparations that had been made. Zou was far behind them, and after the incident with Whole Cake Island, Law understood Zoro's need to reunite and check in with the other half of his crewmates. Even if Law was disappointed he didn't get to keep Zoro to himself for another night on his ship, Law did understand that he would always be second in line of importance. Law could no longer deny that he and Zoro were lovers, and Law hurt himself by thinking about how Zoro's crewmates would always come first to the green haired swordsman.

Law remained in the cabin of his own ship while Zoro had gone to speak to the other Straw Hats, and he was pacing. Zoro had told him earlier that if his crew didn't need him for anything that night, he would return to Law. The Heart Pirate was selfish, and hoped that Zoro would come to him either way. As the hours passed, with no sign of his lover, Law paced for longer amounts of time. He had became lost in thought over the upcoming plans that he and his crew, along with Straw Hat's crew, had been discussing as a part of their alliance.

By the time night had fallen, Law was highly agitated once more, certain that he didn't have all of the information that he required. He felt like there was a piece missing and it was entirely frustrating not to be able to pinpoint the exact cause. It was important. He was sure of it. Law needed to figure it out before he turned in for the night, if at all. He couldn't jeopardize his crew's safety. Law needed as much information as he could gather. It was necessary to be as prepared as possible. They were in the New World, the home of the Four Emperors of the Sea.

If they weren't careful, they could all die in the blink of an eye.

Law heard his cabin door open and close at one point, though he knew in an instant that it wasn't one of his crew, as they would have announced themselves. Instead, Law was halted mid-pace by two strong arms wrapping about his waist.

"You're thinking too much."

"Does this mean you are going to spend the night here?" Law leaned back against Zoro's chest and turned his head to press his lips to the side of Zoro's throat.

"You should already know the answer." Zoro said, as he turned Law's head to one side gently to begin to peruse the side of his neck in return.

"I need some more time, Zoro-ya. Tomorrow-" Law let out a soft sigh as the other swordsman's hands roam up his waist. "Zoro-ya…"

"Work on your plans in the morning." Zoro said simply, before hoisting Law up and forcibly taking him over to the bed, where he let Law drop onto it. "You need some rest."

"I will be fine." Law retorted, but when he met Zoro's eye, he knew it was a losing battle. Because when Zoro saw he had his attention, he pulled off the shirt he was wearing. And then his pants. And boots. Law stared, eyes now roving the other man's body, before he met Zoro's eye again.

Law gave in.

"I don't think rest is what you have in mind." Law commented, but he removed his own clothes anyway, loving the way that the appreciation was returned as Law's tanned and tattooed skin was revealed bit by bit. "I really need the plan to be solid. We can't have anything go wrong this time." Law let his own shoes drop on the floor of the cabin. "We're not going to be together tomorrow."

"Lie down." Zoro said simply.

"Zoro-ya, I really have to-"

"I'm sure this plan of yours is fine." Zoro interrupted, sitting on the bed next to Law's feet. "You need to relax or you won't be of use tomorrow."

Law raised a brow at Zoro as if thinking the other man was an idiot. An idiot for thinking that Law could even begin to relax around him when the other man made his heart race. At the smile on Zoro's face, he already knew that, but was waiting for Law to say it.

"I can't relax around you when you're so close." Law finally admitted. He felt Zoro take a foot in his hand, and the Heart Pirate furrowed a brow at that. Law propped himself up on his elbows and looked at Zoro, confusion in his eyes, until Zoro met his gaze, and brought the foot close enough to kiss the ankle. Law let himself lie back down on the bed as he let to a slow exhale at the sensation of Zoro trailing his hand along his right leg, moving up along the limb, pressing kisses now and again to the skin. Law let out a faint moan as Zoro traced his side, and kissed his way up Law's side until he reached Law's right arm, and began to place kisses along the limb, lingering on his palm, where Zoro pressed a kiss to the wrist. Law turned his head to the side when Zoro kissed his shoulder.

"Zoro-ya…" Law breathed, trying to coordinate his body enough to move and catch Zoro in a kiss, but wasn't fast enough. Zoro had already moved away to begin the entire process on his left side, and by the time Zoro's kisses and slow caresses of his skin reached Law's left wrist, Law was desperate to touch Zoro. His skin was on fire, hyper aware of every touch, every kiss, that Zoro had given him thus far. Law subconsciously tilted his head back as Zoro grazed his collarbone, and then firmly pressed his lips to Law's throat, teeth grazing skin now and again before Zoro made his way back down to the collarbone.

"Zoro-ya." Law couldn't think of much more to say than his lover's name, all but pleading for…what, he wasn't sure. All Law knew was that he had to have the younger swordsman keep touching him. Law shivered as Zoro ran his hands down his sides, kissing Law's tattoos as he made his way along Law's chest, mapping out the entirety of Law's body with kisses and caresses. Law twitched as teeth dragged over each nipple, and then the touch moved to his navel. Law made a funny sound in the back of his throat as Zoro nuzzled his cheek against his waist, and then groaned out lowly in frustration as Zoro nosed the inside of his thighs.

Zoro was driving him crazy. Perhaps that was what the green haired swordsman had in mind.

Law couldn't move, lest he accidently halt what Zoro was doing. Every touch, every kiss, made Law feel like his heart was going to burst out of his chest from the unspoken affection in those gestures. It was as if Zoro was worshiping his body by paying attention to every part of him. Law let out a choked sound when Zoro drew away and flipped him onto his stomach. Law went willingly enough; he was already boneless anyway from Zoro's touch. Law let out a soft moan when Zoro rested over him, and began to mouth the back of his neck, hands trailing heavily along his sides, before Zoro repeated the process he had done when Law had been on his back.

"You're relaxing." Zoro pointed out as his hands dropped lower.

Law could only let out a sigh in return.

By the time Zoro began to knead his ass, Law was putty in Zoro's hands, and would have willingly done whatever the other man wanted him to do without so much as a whisper of protest. Law felt Zoro's hands and lips all over him even though Zoro was merely resting over him now. A kiss to his shoulder drew Law briefly into reality, and Law, words eluding him, shifted his hips back against Zoro in return.

"Zoro-ya." Law breathed, his voice urgent, nearly pleading, when Zoro didn't say or do anything. He needed Zoro inside of him, now. Needed to feel all of that strength, all of the affection, break him down before Zoro pieced him back together.

Another, firmer kiss was placed on Law's shoulder, before Heart Pirate found himself on his back once more.

Law got the kiss he wanted, slow and lingering. Zoro was half covering his body, and Law squirmed the longer the kiss went on, mumbling his lover's name into the kiss.

Zoro drew away, and moved down along his body with more kisses, before he went lower. Law nearly arched off the bed, but Zoro held him down. Chest heaving, Law lie there on his back, mouth open as he let out helpless sounds as Zoro slowly took him in, one hand gently kneading his balls. Law struggled to keep himself silent, but it was too much. Zoro's caressing and kissing of his whole body, combined with Zoro now making love to his…it was too much. Too much.

"Zoro…" Law gasped, when the green haired swordsman gave a particularly hard suck. "Please…" Law shook when Zoro slowly slid his mouth off of him, and all but crawled up his body to lock their lips together in slow exploration. Law could taste himself on Zoro's tongue, and he shuddered, when one of Zoro's hands wrapped around his shaft. It took only a few firm strokes to make Law come, and Law gasped as Zoro released him from the kiss in order to mouth the side of his neck, carrying Law through his orgasm until he finally lie inert. The way Zoro continued to trace his skin clued Law into the fact that tonight was out of his control.

"Law."

Slow love making was apparently something Law needed that night, and the way Zoro was holding him down and giving Law's skin heavy handed caresses made it all the better. The lube was located, and Law shook as Zoro's fingers traced down his lower back, and then pressed down. Law jerked against the sensation, arms reaching up to tighten around Zoro's back. After a brief, questioning bite to his ear, Law slowly let go of Zoro, and lie still on the bed, chest rising and falling with rapid breaths. Law made no protest when Zoro's fingers brushed him again, and reveled in the kiss Zoro gave him.

It had been awhile since he had bottomed for Zoro. Law had forgotten how much he enjoyed being held down in Zoro's strong grasp as the swordsman's fingers made quick work of him.

"You all right?" Zoro breathed against Law's neck as he lined himself up. "You're quiet tonight."

As if they weren't quiet most nights around one another, since words were not needed as much as seeing the other's body language.

"Just thinking…" Law said, as his eyes briefly closed against the sensation. "…about tomorrow."

"Turn your head off." Zoro said, a smile in his voice.

Law opened his eyes to give Zoro a look, as if he was asking for the impossible, and that was when Zoro pressed into Law's body, slowly, carefully. The initial thrust gave Law the distraction he needed from his thoughts.

Zoro laughed against Law's neck lightly, as if amused by the way the Heart Pirate captain was always plotting one thing or another. Zoro's hands settled on Law's forearms, and he began a slow, languid pace, as if allowing for Law to get back into the mood.

Law's head fell back the longer Zoro moved against his body, feeling his lover graze his teeth over his exposed throat. The rocking was steady, and unrushed, and the slow burn of pleasure curled in Law's gut and went up his spine until he could no longer hold still. He wrapped his limbs around Zoro to bring his lover closer, and gasped as it drove Zoro deeper into his body. Law took a short breath, vaguely aware that Zoro merely adjusted, and continued the slow back and forth, driving himself toward a hard release.

"Law."

The Heart Pirate held tight to Zoro, whispering nonsensical words against Zoro's necke. Law's hands scrabbled against Zoro's back, and let out another series of words, not sure what he was asking for.

Zoro seemed to understand, as he slowly withdrew himself from Law's willing body.

Law let out a huff at the loss, until he found himself hoisted up and onto Zoro's lap, the green haired swordsman lying on the bed with his hands cupped under Law's ass.

"You good to keep going?"

It was rather distracting for Zoro to be pressing his forefingers against him teasingly, so Law couldn't think of anything to do but smirk at Zoro in challenge. The answering smile made Law's heart leap. Law thought his balance was good, but the moment Zoro guided him down, Law couldn't remain upright any longer and draped himself against Zoro instead. He heard a laugh against his shoulder, and a light bite. Law made an interested noise at that, but he soon gathered himself together, and pushed himself back up. Law balanced himself with his hands on Zoro's chest, and shifted his hips let Zoro know that he was ready to try again.

"Zoro-ya." Law let out a pleasured moan as he felt Zoro press into him again, and couldn't help but writhe at the slow way that Zoro guided him down. Law let out a breath he'd been holding when his ass met Zoro's lap. Zoro leaned up to catch Law's cry in his mouth with a slow, unhurried kiss, as Law had leaned over him as he struggled to remain upright. Zoro pressed quick kiss to Law's nose, before he rested his head back on the bed and began to rock his hips, urging Law into motion, and encouraging the other to ride him.

Law tried his best to keep up, until he could no longer remain upright, but before he could say anything to his lover, Zoro's hands were suddenly over his own. Meeting the other man's eye, Law managed a curious look.

"I'm going to move." Zoro warned, and his hands went from Law's to wrap around his lover's back. Carefully, Zoro sat up and brought Law with him, until Zoro's back settled against the headboard of the bed, and Law was just barely managing to stay upright in his lap.

"Hold onto me." Zoro whispered against Law's shoulder.

Shakily, Law did as asked as he wrapped his arms tight around Zoro's back and writhed as Zoro began to slowly, gently, rock him over his lap, until Law could only whisper helpless littles nonsense words against Zoro's skin. Law could feel Zoro hold on to him tightly in return, and before long, Zoro gave a few erratic thrusts, before he stilled and captured Law's lips in a rush of heat and passion.

Law thought his heart was going to burst out of his chest as Zoro pressed a slow kiss to his collarbone. He was distracted, however, when Zoro reached between them and stroked Law off, the Heart Pirate shuddering. Considering he'd come not too long ago, it wasn't surprising, and Zoro didn't seem to mind. Law became aware of his aching ass, and was reluctant to tell Zoro to pull out. He was connected with him, and Law, for some reason, felt that if they parted from the intimacy they had just had together, bad things would happen.

Law shuddered briefly when Zoro carefully maneuvered him off of his lap, and laid him out on his side. Law almost made a protest about the loss of skin to skin contact, when Zoro left the bed altogether, and for a wild moment, Law wondered if Zoro was leaving him for the night. But he needn't have worried, since Zoro had merely gone to retrieve a towel to tidy them both up. Once satisfied, Zoro was back on the bed and pressing himself against the length of Law's body.

It wasn't enough.

Law sleepily turned over and pressed closer to his lover, and let out a slow sigh as Zoro's arms wrapped around him and brought him as close as they could possibly be. Law's body was sated and his mind, for the moment, wasn't running in circles. Law pressed his face against Zoro's as he attempted to tighten his own limbs around Zoro in return. Tangled limbs was one of Law's favorite things to do with Zoro, as they could lie pressed to one another's bodies for hours, taking comfort and reassurance in the closeness. When Law could get his limbs to move properly, in that he didn't just continue to cling to Zoro, he rested a hand to Zoro's chest.

Zoro sensed Law wanted some space, and gave it, though he remained very close, ready to draw Law back into his arms.

"Room."

Law removed his heart from his chest, the organ encased in a clear cube, his heart beating within it.

"What are you doing?" Zoro wondered before he quieted as Law rested a hand over his chest, an unasked question in his eyes. "Your powers are weird." Zoro reached over and placed his hand lightly over Law's own. "If it'll make you happy, go on ahead."

Law leaned over to press a kiss to Zoro's hand, before the younger man moved his hand away, leaving his chest exposed. Law removed Zoro's heart carefully and brought the encased organ to his lips, to press a brief kiss to it. Law smirked at the sight of Zoro twitching the faintest amount at his actions before he placed Zoro's beating heart into the hole in his chest. Law shivered a little at Zoro's fingers ghosted along his lower back as he placed his own heart within Zoro's chest. Law's hand traced the skin along Zoro's scar, before leaving the skin altogether.

He had given his heart to someone, literally. There was no use denying what he felt for Zoro. Not anymore.

-x-x-x-

"You're a strange one, taking people's hearts out like that." Zoro commented before he urged Law to lie against his chest so that he could kiss him on the cheek.

"I do not normally give mine away willingly." Law said softly against Zoro's shoulder.

Zoro didn't say anything at first. He merely held Law against his chest until he felt Law begin to relax against him.

"Thank you, for you trusting me enough to let me love you." Zoro held Law firmly in place when the other pirate made as if to move away. Zoro wanted to go to sleep, and thought Law ought to as well. "You need to get some rest, remember?"

"The plan…" Law protested, but quieted when Zoro captured his hand, and rested their linked hands against Law's chest, over where Zoro's heart now beat within it.

"Tomorrow will be fine." Zoro smiled at Law. "Besides, I'll be with you wherever you go. I'll be right here." Zoro pressed their linked hands against his lover's chest again, and then moved their hands to where Law's beating heart was suspended in a cube in Zoro's chest. "And you'll be with me. We'll feel each other, even when we're apart."

Law stopped resisting at that announcement, and even when Law's hand was released, he lie against Zoro, and traced his bare skin, briefly tracing over the darker skin of where Law's own heat was. Law shivered at the touch, and dropped his hand, even as he allowed Zoro to hold him securely against his chest.

"I'll need to leave first thing in the morning." Zoro murmured against Law's neck.

"Don't remind me." Law said half-heartedly. "I shudder to think about how well your captain will listen to my plan this time." Even with the worries he still had, the way that Zoro held him comfortingly that night allowed him to actually get some rest. But not before Law became acutely aware that it was his own heart that beat fast within Zoro's chest and not the other way around.

-x-x-x-

The following morning Law woke up well-rested for once, but when he found that he was still in Zoro's embrace, he felt a pang of longing. He wanted these kinds of moments to last longer than only a few nights here and there, but Law knew it wouldn't happen.

"I need to go." Zoro said against bare skin, pressing a kiss briefly to one shoulder before he extracted himself reluctantly from Law's limbs.

"I know." Law agreed with an edge of resignation in his voice. His eyes shut tightly when Zoro gave him a slow, lingering kiss.

"See you around, Law."

Law reached out and rested a hand on Zoro's arm lightly, before he nodded. He couldn't find the words to say what needed to be said, but when he looked in Zoro's eye, he knew his lover didn't need words to know.

Because Zoro already knew that he held Law's heart, and carried it with him in his chest, because Law trusted him enough to be out of sight with it. And as Zoro exited his cabin, clothed, Law rooted around for his own clothes. Zoro was going back to the Thousand Sunny to his own crew. Law needed to get his head in the game, and leave his cabin to go speak to his own crew.

After all, today's recon mission would be important; it would give them much needed information that they needed to make plans going forward. It was a shame, really, that Law didn't foresee there being complications, because the moment that he stepped foot on the island, everything began to unravel and go to hell.

-x-x-x-

Law disembarked onto the island with his crew, expecting to meet Straw Hat and his crew there. At the last moment, Law had decided that he wanted to gather both of the crews together to go over the plan one last time to make sure everyone knew what they were doing.

And so Law could see Zoro one more time.

What Law hadn't expected was to find some of Straw Hat's crew, along with Straw Hat himself, playing around and treating this mission as a lark. It irritated Law, but he had a task to focus on, and he couldn't do so if he let Straw Hat and his crew's antics get to him. It made Law appreciate his crew more once they had been reunited, because when Law asked them to do something, they did. That was why, right now, in that moment, Law was grateful that there were at least some people paying rapt attention to his words.

"It is important that we have our presence on this island go undetected." Law felt as if he'd been speaking forever, when in fact, it had only been a minute or so. "We can't afford to let Kaido's forces learn that we found one of their old bases." Law zeroed in on Luffy. Being undetected was something he wanted to get through the other captain's head, lest he make a nuisance of himself and brought attention on them all. The island was supposedly vacant, and had been for some time, but it couldn't hurt to be too careful.

"And what are we looking for again?" This from one of Straw Hat's crew.

"Intel on the cargo that Kaido was getting shipped to him." Law answered promptly, as he shifted his hold on Kikoku to better wave a hand in emphasis. "It is imperative that we learn if he was receiving more than just those artificial Devil Fruits. Weapons. Bio weapons. Anything. No paper is unimportant, so take those if you see them, along with anything that you think might resemble a journal. Just to be on the safe side, take anything resembling a book." Law unfortunately turned his attention to Luffy in time to see Luffy pick his nose, clearly disinterested in the conversation. It rubbed Law the wrong way. How could someone be so-

"Hey." A hand gripped Law's left arm. "Take a breath."

Zoro.

"Your captain does not seem to be very concerned." Law said tartly, even if he didn't make a motion to remove Zoro's arm from his person.

"The rest of us are listening." Zoro chanced a look at his crewmates, and smiled. "Well, most of us are."

"I do not know why I am even surprised at this point." Law took a deep breath and let it out, aware of the eyes of both crews watching them with varying degrees of curiosity. "Straw Hat-ya doesn't seem to take anything seriously."

"You get used to it after a while." Zoro moved his hand away. "He gets serious when it counts the most."

Law didn't deny that; the fact that he was still alive and breathing after Dressrosa led credence to the green haired swordsman's words. But that didn't mean that he found Luffy any better to deal with.

"You done telling us what we're looking for?" Zoro prompted, smiling when Law threw him an aggravated look.

"Yes." Law turned his attention to both crews. "As we discussed before, Straw Hat-ya, you and your crew are taking the left side of this island. My crew and I will take the right. Go all the way around the island, before making your way inland. And be wary of the wildlife here. Even though its mountainous and snowing most of the year, that doesn't mean that something won't try and attack you if you let your guard down."

"Let's go explore!" Luffy shot off down the shoreline, whooping excitedly about being on a new island. It was a wonder he'd stayed in the area long enough for Law to finish speaking this time around.

"We'll try and make sure our captain doesn't attract unwanted attention." Zoro let go of Law's arm, and lifted the hand to his chest to trace the skin where Law's heart was.

"That would be appreciated." Law shivered, not expecting Zoro to be so bold about caressing his heart now beating in the other swordsman's chest, especially in front of Law's crew. Law was going to tell Zoro to be careful, but his lover had other ideas.

"Don't worry about me." Zoro crowed in close to him, one hand sliding behind his head as he gently pulled Law into a brief kiss. "Focus on yourself."

Law opened his mouth to argue, but he melted at the smile Zoro gave him. Law grumpily tugged his hat down to shade his expression, his other hand tightening around Kikoku's hilt.

"Do you know you've been doing that hat thing a lot more lately?" Zoro asked.

"I hope to see you later, whether it is on my ship or Straw Hat-ya's." Law said stiffly.

"We'll see." Zoro said with a laugh, clearly amused by Law evading his question regarding his hat. Before Law could walk away, Zoro wrapped an arm around his waist in a half hug, and whispered in his ear. "Be safe."

Law awkwardly murmured something in return before he retreated to his crew, and Zoro went his own way, trudging through the snow to catch up with his own crew. Law's heart was racing, and he knew that Zoro could feel it, and know that he was the cause. No one told him to be safe apart from his crew. Law let out a slow breath, trying to calm his heart down, a little miffed that Zoro's heartbeat was steady. Law pointedly ignored the curious stares of his crew, and walked ahead of them to lead the way along the icy shoreline.

Splitting up into two teams was something Law figured would allow them to efficiently cover more ground, and as Law had explained, there were many buildings littering the grounds of the island. Before long, Law and his crew were coming across various pieces of information that was sure to aid them in their fight against Kaido's crew members, and those that had eaten the artificial Zoan fruits made from SMILE. The information gathering was going so well that Law found himself becoming more suspicious as time went by. The more buildings he and his crew explored, the more concerned Law grew. By all intents and purposes, this winter island appeared to be abandoned, and for some time. But it was almost as if the information had been placed within easy access, and Law didn't like to think about what that could mean.

It would be a perfect setup for a trap…

Law felt a pinprick of unease at the very thought, his grip on Kikoku shifting so that he could draw the nodachi if necessary. They had gathered all they could in this particular building, and soon, it would be time to head inland to continue their search. But due to how much damning information they had already found, Law couldn't help but be paranoid about what that could mean. It was too clean. Too easy. And he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. Law's crew noticed their captain's wariness, and it was a good thing too, because this wasn't going to go as smoothly as Law had anticipated it would.

"Die."

Law barely had time to draw Kikoku to block a snake that shot out of a pirate's hand, the man seemingly appearing from out of nowhere. That one attack seemed to open a floodgate, as many more pirates began to appear in the building, hell-bent on killing Law and his crew.

"Retreat." Law said to his crew, and they obeyed. Yet even as they fell back out of the building, and went hastily through the snow and rocky outcroppings, Law knew that even getting back onto their ship was going to be difficult.

"Captain, watch out!"

Law turned in time to catch the blade of an enemy, but found himself being driven back inland, away from the safety of the shore. "Go." Law shouted, when he noticed that his crew had started after him. They hesitated, but another attack by a group of pirates drove them further and further away from their captain. Soon, Law couldn't see them, but he knew that they were competent and could take care of themselves. He had to focus on the matter at hand, which happened to be two pirates who were taking turns jabbing their blades in his direction, trying to get beneath Law's long blade range.

As Law angled Kikoku to block an attack, one of the pirates went low and jabbed not a sword, but a fist in the direction of Law's leg. The hand transformed into a lion's head, which in turn bit down on Law's leg. With a savage jerk, the lion head took Law down to the ground, splattering the white snow red. Grimacing, Law used his power to free himself from the bite by swapping himself with a rock from further up on a small cliff. Law held perfectly still, one hand pressed to his wounded leg in an attempt to stop the flow of blood. Law remained quiet as he waited to the confused pirates to move on, and only when they were out of sight did Law tear his pants leg off to wrap around the bite wound.

"Dammit." Law hissed, furious with himself. He had clearly missed some crucial information before coming to this island. With all of the planted information to be found, Law had to wonder if someone had intercepted some of the calls he had made with a Transponder Snail. It would explain the influx of enemies. Law tried his best to figure out what he should do about this unexpected development, when he was distracted.

The heart.

Zoro's heart.

Law's felt Zoro's heart begin to beat a little faster within his chest. Law's bloodied hand hovered over his chest, frowning as the enormity of the trap settled into his mind. Because that was what it had to be.

A trap.

There was no other way for the enemy to be this organized, and from the way Zoro's heart was reacting, Straw Hat's crew was being attacked as well. Law winced and pressed his hand to his chest fully when he felt his skin being cut, which in turn meant that Zoro's chest was being slashed. It took a moment for that to sink in, and when it did, the pain Law was in lessened as another worry surfaced.

If he had felt pain…then that meant that somehow, someone had gotten through Zoro's defenses.

It was perplexing, to say the least.

Law couldn't recall any stories or recent ones, anyway, that would indicate that Zoro couldn't fend for himself. Unless the enemy happened to be that much stronger, or, in the case of Law's leg, were they fighting in an unorthodox and unexpected way? Or was Zoro trying hard to protect his heart from harm, and letting his guard down from that distraction?

"Zoro-ya…"

What was going on?

-x-x-x-

Zoro took things in stride and engaged in the attackers that set upon him, until he remembered that it was not his own heart that beat in his chest, but Law's. When that detail solidified, Zoro changed tactics, and attempted to defeat as many enemies as he could, while protecting himself and Law from harm. He didn't have to worry about any enemies attacking from behind. Zoro wouldn't shame himself by receiving any strikes there. But the longer Zoro battled the enemies, the more he began to realize that these enemies were unlike anything any of them had yet faced.

Zoro had to do something, as he needed to go help his captain and his crewmates. But how did he keep Law's heart safe in the meantime? There was a lull in the fighting, and Zoro made his way to a cave he had spotted earlier, trudging through the snow as quick as he was able to.

He had to act fast, to save his friends, and his lover, from harm.

Zoro sheathed two swords and held the remaining one tight, feeling it thrumming in his hand. "I need you to be careful." Zoro directed to the katana. "I don't want to actually pierce Law's heart." Zoro sensed a little sullenness from the blade, and Zoro couldn't help but smile. "Don't worry. I know you're eager to fight, and we will, soon. But I need you to help me have a steady hand." With a deep breath, Zoro turned the blade on himself, and ignored the pain that flared as the sharp blade cut into flesh. He always protected his friends, one way or another.

A little pain was nothing when he knew someone would be safe because of it.

-x-x-x-

Law went down to the snowy ground with a choke of pain. It felt as if someone had struck the cube of his heart contained within Zoro's chest. Not piercing the organ itself directly, but it was still pretty damn close.

"Zoro-ya."

Law curled in on himself when small flares of pain began to light up his body, panic rising within him at the sensation of something sharp methodically cutting deeper and deeper into skin. Someone was pointedly cutting the skin around the cube that contained Law's heart. Law's hands dug into the snow beneath him, fingers grasping at the hard ground as the searing pain continued, flooding his mind and body with agony. No. How had someone figured out that it wasn't Zoro's own heart? Was someone going to hide Law's heart away? To blackmail him in the future? Or just piece it directly with a blade and end him instantly? Law ground his teeth together as a stronger pain shot through him, adding to the agony he already felt from his wounded leg. What had happened to Zoro? The man's heart was still beating within Law's chest, contained with its own cube, so…

What was going on?

-x-x-x-

Zoro carefully moved his blade along skin, cutting more of his own flesh in order to avoid potentially nicking Law's heart suspended within the cube. Finally, the cut met where he had begun. Zoro carefully removed the blade from his flesh, cleaning the blood off on his clothes before sheathing the blade. "Don't worry, I'll be drawing you again soon." Zoro assured the katana. With a faint furrow of his brow, Zoro carefully pulled at the flesh he had cut, hands slipping on blood as he carefully removed Law's heart from within his chest. The pain wasn't so bad, but Zoro knew he had to move fast. The enemy seemed to be gearing up for another, bigger attack, and he needed to find Luffy and the others.

Zoro almost didn't see an enemy coming, but he did draw his blades in time to block it, but in exchange, he was forced to drop Law's heart in the snow. As Zoro fought against this new enemy, he could only hope that Law could bear it until it was safe to pick the heart up again.

-x-x-x-

Law let out a harsh exhalation as he felt his heart removed completely.

No, this couldn't be happening. Law could feel Zoro's heartbeat. He was still alive. So why? Why was his heart being taken out of Zoro's chest? Law started to rise, only to collapse completely, immobilized the moment his heart hit something cold. Law teetered on the edge of consciousness, his vision blurring.

"Zoro-ya…" Law held on, knowing that if he were to pass out, he might not wake back up.

-x-x-x-

Zoro grimaced at the dead enemy in the snow, before he picked up Law's heart, and carefully brushed the snow off of it. Looking around, Zoro stepped into the cave, and looked around for a good place to hide Law's heart out of sight to keep it safe. Zoro could feel it beating in his hands, the heartrate a little accelerated. No doubt from the shock of the heart being in the snow.

Law was a tough bastard.

Zoro found a good spot at the back of the cave, sheltered from the cold, and held up the cube that contained Law's heart close to his lips. Zoro couldn't say anything, because Law wouldn't hear him. But Law could most certainly feel him, so Zoro kissed the outside of the cube that contained his lover's heart. He had felt it when Law had done something similar back in the cabin, so he ought to feel Zoro do the gesture in return. The heart skipped a beat, and Zoro smiled. He got through to Law with touch, all right. Zoro ran a hand over the encased heart, before setting it down, and, with a final caress, backed away from the heart. Law's heart would be safe here, and he could let his crew, or Law, know where it was once the enemy forces had been defeated. Zoro drew his katana, and went back into battle, feeling better with the knowledge that Law would come to no harm.

-x-x-x-

Law felt lips press to his heart suspended in the cube of his powers, and his breath caught. The kiss had been slow, with intent. And with that soft caress of a hand…it had almost felt like a goodbye.

"Zoro-ya…" Law breathed out. Minutes later, he felt Zoro's heart rate change within his own chest. "No." Law forced himself into motion, regardless of his wounded leg. Law bit his lip hard against the pain, and began to use his powers to move himself around the island in search of his lover. Law didn't know how long he used his powers, flopping himself from one place to another, until he had finally exhausted himself and had to stop to recover. Lying still, Law rested his hand shakily over his chest, where Zoro's heart was.

Law sucked in a breath.

The heart rate had slowed drastically. Like Zoro was having trouble breathing.

No.

Law couldn't lose someone he had come to love.

Not again.

Law couldn't see enemies around any longer. With an effort, he used his power one more time. It took him to Luffy and the rest of his crew, covered in their own injuries, but alive. Law, however, had eyes only for Zoro. Law knew he should have seen it coming, but he wasn't prepared for the Straw Hats to start haranguing him over what he had thought would have been a harmless gesture, and instead, had turned into a dangerous, and possibly deadly, mistake.

"What happened?"

"Chopper can't do anything for Zoro. His wounds are too numerous."

"How could you swap hearts like that?"

"How could you do this?"

"We trusted you!"

"Zoro couldn't fight at his full strength. He'd been trying to protect your heart."

The accusations continued to fly, culminating into a tearful Nami and Usopp shaking him, demanding that he fix this.

"I can save him." Law found his voice, and it was enough to get the Straw Hats nearest him to back off. Law slumped on the ground, his own heart racing. He had known that Straw Hat's crew was loyal to one another, but he hadn't realized just how far and deep the loyalties ran. And at the murmur of voices expressing doubts, Law raised his voice again, but couldn't help from choking out the words.

"Please. Give me a chance to make things right." He could already tell that Zoro's crewmates were desperate to save him, and even through their anger, knew that Law was a doctor, and could perform surgeries that even Chopper couldn't. Law didn't make any protest when a few of the Straw Hats ushered him over to Zoro's side, as he couldn't bear to look at any of them in the eyes. He knew what he would see.

He was an outsider.

A rival captain.

He shouldn't have had any business taking something as important as Zoro's heart, even if he had given Zoro his own in return, a high sign of how much Law had trusted Zoro.

"Here."

Robin.

Law couldn't even look at her as he accepted his own heart, and stared down at it beating within his hands. At once, Law knew that Zoro had been the one to cut it out of his own chest. The other swordsman had done it so carefully, despite the pain it must have caused him. Zoro had done it, to protect him. Law's whole frame shook, wanting to ask Zoro why, but he couldn't even do that. The man was already unconscious, and struggling to breathe while lying in a puddle of his own blood.

"Can you help Zoro?" Luffy was the most upset of all the Straw Hat crew, but he managed to get Law to meet his eyes. "Can you? I want to believe you."

"I can help him." Law offered Luffy an odd smile before he turned his attention to Zoro's broken form. "And I will." Law stared at his own heart beating, before he replaced it in the space in Zoro's chest. Law rested his right hand over the heart, and laid his left over Zoro's heart in his own chest. Taking a deep breath, Law let it out slowly, before he let himself slip into a calm state of mind and activated his powers.

"Room."

It was going to be a tricky surgery. It was one that he'd not given much thought to, until now. A literal transfer of the heart. Law grit his teeth, and forced himself to focus on the task at hand. He jerked now and again when he felt the tug and pull of arteries fixing themselves into the hearts, the skin solid across the chest. It seemed to take forever, but was only a minute in reality. Once the hearts were fixed in their new bodies, the cubes that had been holding them suspended vanished. Law coughed up blood, amazed that Zoro was even still breathing with his injuries, and, removing his hand from Zoro's chest, hastily shocked his chest to get the heart now fixed in his chest to beat a little longer.

He couldn't die yet.

"He's still bleeding." Chopper piped up from nearby.

"Not done yet." Law breathed out raggedly. He wasn't. This was just the first step, to give his lover time for him to do another surgery. "I don't want to lose someone I love again." Law's voice dropped to a whisper as he placed both of his hands on Zoro's chest, even as his vision began to blur. "Don't hate me for this, Zoro-ya." Law took a deep, shuddering breath in order to steel himself for what was to come. He was going to use his devil fruit's ultimate ability, though he vowed to never use it. But for Zoro, he would break that promise to himself. Law called on his remaining strength and began to perform the Immortality operation.

Law's tattoos emitted a soft golden glow from where they peeked out from beneath his clothes. Law could feel his stamina draining out of him and into Zoro, even as the green haired swordsman's wounds begin to knit themselves together. Good. That meant the surgery was working. Law kept the power flowing steadily, giving all he had to save Zoro, even after his stamina had run out, and his life force began to be drained from him.

Law would keep his powers flowing, even though it would kill him in the end, if that meant he could save someone he had come to love. Even if it meant that Law would never see him again. The operation was a success, in the end, which meant that Law would lose his own life. Law started to fall to the side but Zoro caught him and cradled him in his arms. That was fast. Law would have thought that Zoro would have needed at least a little time to adjust from being nearly dead. Law offered his healed lover a smile, a genuine one, and closed his eyes with a slow sigh. He was fading, and fast, but he'd done it.

He'd saved Zoro.

In exchange for his own heart, and his life, Law been able to save someone he loved instead of being forced to watch them die.

"Law, you-"

Law felt darkness closing in as Zoro gripped one of his hands tightly. Law vaguely heard the other Straw Hats speaking, but Zoro's voice filled what was left of his world.

"Law! What did you do?"

Zoro's voice was what left Law clinging to consciousness as his life slipped away from him as Zoro grew stronger. And then Law could no longer hear Zoro, and knew no more as his hand went limp within Zoro's, not knowing that Zoro's hand rested over Law's now still heart.

"Law? Hey, Law!"

-x-x-x-

Law woke breathing hard and reality caught up to him.

He'd passed out.

He had thought he had save Zoro but that wasn't the real truth. Law felt Zoro's heart in his chest, and found only a weak beat now and again. Tears started to fall as he realized the shape he was in. No, this had to be a dream. Not the other way around. Law forced himself up, and realized with a start that he was in one of the Thousand Sunny's cabins, and Zoro was on one of the cots, lying disturbingly still. Distraught, Law forced himself up and went over to him.

"Room."

Law took Zoro's weakly beating heart out of his chest, and took his own traitorously beating one out of Zoro's chest. He put the hearts back where they belonged, and held his thumbs against Zoro's chest.

"Countershock." Law tried to zap Zoro's heart into beating regularly, and it seemed to be working, until the heart slowed again. Law tried over and over to treat his lover, tears falling as bits and pieces of the memory of Straw Hat and his crew's words washed over him, angry at him for what he had done.

'He didn't want you to die.'

'How could you?'

'Zoro protected your heart and Luffy."

"It was too much, even for him.'

Law's tears continue to fall. It was a mistake. This wasn't supposed to have happened. Law didn't know what to do anymore, other than try and save his lover. Law didn't even care why Straw Hat and the others weren't there to watch him. Zoro's heart went still beneath his hands, and Law choked out a protest, until it beat again.

"This wasn't supposed to happen." Law whispered hoarsely, shoulders slumping as he leaned over and brushed his lips against Zoro's. "I'm sorry." Law was going to lose something he had had for only a few short months. The Straw Hats were going to lose their friend.

"No." Law started to try and shock Zoro's heart again. "Please don't. This shouldn't have happened."

There would be no more nighttime company.

No more slow days where Law and Zoro could nap with one another.

There would never again be any scolding over treated injuries being moved too soon.

No more comforting hugs.

No more love from someone who could only give Law so much.

Law couldn't stop his tears. He'd made a huge mistake and he had paid for it. Law tried a few more countershocks, and when that failed, he gave in. With the state of mind he was in, Law could only think to use his personality switching ability. Law twisted his fingers, and before he knew it, he was in Zoro's body, and it was pure agony. His body felt like it was on fire, and he could barely move. But all of that was placed in the back of his mind when Law heard his lover speak to him.

"Law! What did you do?"

Zoro was alive.

And amidst the sound of his lover's voice, there was an echo of a voice, one that sounded very close to Zoro's. Law closed the eye of Zoro's body, unable to keep it open any longer. While this probably wasn't what Zoro would have wanted, Law was selfish and wanted Zoro to live.

So he would, while Law himself died.

-x-x-x-

"Law. Hey." Zoro patted Law's cheek lightly, trying again to get through to him.

No response.

Zoro narrowed his eye, not about to let Law die without being able to speak to him, at least one more time. He had caught Law as he had fallen, and felt the other man die in his arms. But Zoro couldn't leave it at this. He wouldn't allow it. Zoro wouldn't let the gods or whoever was playing this sick trick on him decide that he couldn't ever get to see Law again.

Logic didn't matter to Zoro.

Death didn't even matter at this point. Even though Law lie dead in his arms, and Zoro was merely shaking a corpse with a demand that it opened its eyes, that didn't change the fact that Zoro needed to speak to Law.

"Zoro?"

His crewmates realized in stages what had happened, some picking up on Law's death sooner than others.

Robin bowed her head, as had Brook, both realizing what had happened without any need for an explanation. Nami realized it soon after, a hand pressed to her mouth, and horror in her eyes. She may have told Law some harsh things, but she hadn't expected the other man to actually sacrifice himself for her crewmate. Nami pressed her face to Robin's shoulder, as Chopper went to Franky to seek comfort. Sanji stood still, his expression shadowed by his hair as he lit a cigarette. Usopp just seemed to be stunned, like he couldn't comprehend what he was seeing. Chopper went over to him as Franky went over to Robin, and let her rest against his side as she put an arm around Nami's shoulders.

Luffy, predictably, did not take Law's death well, as he sunk to the ground alongside Zoro, and started down at Law. Shaking his head, as if denying the sight before him, Luffy reached out with shaking hands to give Law's shoulder a shake. And then another, more urgent one. He'd seen Law play dead before. So this was just the same, wasn't it?

Wasn't it?

Law didn't respond to the shaking, even as Zoro, lost, mindlessly joined his captain, as if shaking a dead man would bring him back to life.

Tears fell down Luffy's cheeks when he finally seemed to realize that Law wasn't faking being dead, and his hands jerked from Law's body as if he'd been burned.

"I told you to save him, not die." Luffy said through his tears.

"Luffy, you can't do anything for him." Robin spoke into the silence, drawing the attention of her crewmates, some of them crying. "You asked him to save Zoro. Law made his choice on how to do that."

"But he can't just decide to die. What about out alliance?" Luffy demanded, unable to look at Law's still form. "We're friends. He can't just leave us like that."

Zoro closed his eye as the others started speaking. He hadn't realized that his crewmates had taken Luffy away from Law before he could shake him some more, until only Robin remained.

"We'll be on the Thousand Sunny." Robin told Zoro, not entirely sure if her crewmate had heard her. With one final look down at Law, Robin turned away, and went toward shore.

It took Zoro a little time to notice that he had been left alone to mourn, because he was still trying to figure out what to do. And then, a thought occurred to him. He drew Shusui. "I need to see him, so don't let me stay dead for long." Zoro told his blade, which seemed to pulse out a question, before he turned katana over and jabbed the blade into his chest, just shy of his heart, but close enough to give his body a good shock to send him into a state of death briefly. That it didn't hurt as badly as he thought was something that Zoro didn't dwell on at present.

Law had always thought Luffy and the rest of the crew were mad.

Zoro was about to prove his point.

-x-x-x-

Zoro appeared in a bizarre world of no color and hardly any senses, but Zoro caught sight of Law in the distance. And what he saw clawed at him, tried to break him, but Zoro pressed down the sadness and heartache, and went to his lover, who looked to be in some kind of trap enacted by his own powers. As Zoro drew closer, he felt something pass him by, and whispers started up in the dark. He ignored them, but another voice, louder and eerier in nature, spoke to him, briefly halting Zoro in his tracks.

'Receiver of immortality, the giver is not done suffering for the sin of playing god.'

Zoro caught a glimpse of Law again, where the man stood in the darkness, and stared off into space. Zoro didn't like the idea of someone tormenting Law more than he already had been. Zoro took a step toward his lover again, even as the voice continued to dog his every move.

'Immortality gives immunity to what is being seen.'

"What are you making him see?" Zoro found that he could speak the closer he got to Law.

'Visions of what could have been. Every little difference, should he not have given you immortality.'

"He can't have been seeing things for long then." Zoro returned, not sure why he was speaking to nothing.

'Time doesn't matter in this space. Already he has lived through countless versions. Each time, he forgets, but for the true one he believes to be only a dream.'

Zoro moved more quickly, and the voice grew fainter.

'Wake him from his visions, and he will only despair further, instead of vanishing once the cycle is done repeating.'

"I will see him."

'Receiver of immortality, know that you will never again see the giver. He will be forgotten, and in turn shall be lost to the darkness, as have the other wielders of the Ope ope no mi before him.'

"I'll be the one to decide that."

The voice didn't answer, and Zoro finally reached Law. The voice had said that Law was seeing visions, so if he wasn't looking at it, then it would have to end. Zoro reached out for Law.

This had to work.

-x-x-x-

'Law. Law, open your eyes. What you're seeing isn't real.'

No.

Law refused to believe that he was dreaming this time. He had saved Zoro this time around too, personality switching this time. Saved him as he had in his dream. He felt there was more to it than that, but what was more important was that actually felt a hand cover his eyes, as another arm went around his waist. "Zoro-ya?"

'Law.'

"How are you here with me? I don't understand." Law hadn't realized he had started to cry, but he couldn't help it. He hadn't realized how attached he had become to Zoro's touch. Law leaned back against Zoro as he felt the other swordsman place a kiss to his neck.

'I'm going to move my hand.' Zoro told Law. 'Can you look at me?'

"Yes." Law needed to see him. He was dreaming again. He had to be. The hand dropped from over his eyes, but the arm remained loosely around his waist. Law twisted within his lover's hold and turned his head down slightly to meet Zoro's eye.

"You're an idiot." Zoro's voice was back to normal, and not some echoed version of himself. Zoro kissed Law before the other man could respond.

"What's going on?" Law wanted to look around but he was drawn to looking at Zoro instead. "Why was it so dark?"

"Your Devil Fruit…" Zoro brought Law close to him. "It is nasty when the immortality operation is performed."

"How do you know about that?" Law quieted when Zoro held him closer.

"It…talked to me? I think. It seems like the Devil Fruit punishes its user for giving someone immortality." Zoro frowned. "It mentioned something about forcing its user to live through what could have been should he have not preformed the operation."

"And now?" Law asked against Zoro's shoulder.

"The receiver of the operation wasn't supposed to be able to see the one that gave them the immortality." Zoro held Law tight. "I wasn't going to listen to some disembodied voice. I was going to see you one way or another."

"What did you do?" Law frowned at Zoro, as he had a feeling he wouldn't like the answer.

"I stabbed myself so that I could fall into a death like state." Zoro replied straight-faced.

There was a long stretch of silence, before Law eyed Zoro like he wanted to punch him for being an idiot. "What is wrong with you people?" Law asked at last, sounding more like himself.

'You people' meaning Luffy and the other Straw Hats.

"I'm not dead." Zoro assured him with a smile. "Just almost dead."

"I made you immortal. You can't be 'almost dead' from a stab wound." Law breathed out, still wearing an incredulous look. "And if you had actually died, I would have sacrificed myself for nothing."

"You didn't have to die for me." Zoro said, his gaze softening.

"I wanted to." Law returned, his voice quiet. "And since it was within my powers to save you, I did."

"But you still died." Zoro held Law close again, hands running over his lover's back reassuringly.

"I couldn't lose you." Law said hoarsely in return.

"But I'm going to lose you now." Zoro reminded him. "It was a fluke that I was even able to find you like this."

"I still don't know how you managed it. Apparently even death isn't going to argue with you." Law couldn't help but smirk at Zoro. "Perhaps making you immortal will scare even the gods."

"If I meet another one, I'll let you know what they think of me."

Law was not going to even touch on that conversation right now, not sure whether or not Zoro was teasing him. Law was silent a moment longer, before he shook his head. "Your captain needs your help. He can't become king of the pirates on his own. He needs his friends to help him reach that goal." Law indulged in the kiss that Zoro drew him into at that. Law didn't understand the breathlessness. If he was dead, why did he still feel this way? Why did the still heart in his chest continue to ache? Law took in another unneeded breath when Zoro drew back and rested his forehead against his own.

"I'm going to miss you." Zoro said, opening his eye and meeting Law's own.

"And I, you." Law managed.

"So formal." Zoro smiled, before his expression became serious. "Do you need anything from me before I go?"

"Hold me?" Law said after a moment, because even though much went through his mind, it was the only thing he could think to ask aloud.

Zoro wrapped his arms around Law's back and pulled him up against his body, crushing him to his chest in a tight hug to comfort the other man. Zoro reached up with one hand to tangle into Law's hair as he pressed his face against the Heart Pirate's neck.

Law couldn't help but cry anew. It was as if his control had fled him completely. It wasn't like him to express himself in such a raw way, but Zoro seemed to be unbothered, and held Law even closer if possible, his breath tickling Law's ear as he spoke.

"I couldn't protect you."

"I'm sorry, Zoro-ya." Law pressed his lips briefly to Zoro's neck in return. "I hadn't foreseen the battle. If it had been a possibility from the information I had gathered, I would have never swapped our hearts." Law rested his head against Zoro's shoulder. "Forgive me."

"There isn't anything to forgive. You didn't have any way of knowing what would happen." Zoro fell silent, before he spoke again, confused, as if just realizing something important. "How did you get my heart beating again?"

In answer, Law maneuvered Zoro's hand over his own chest, and knew that Zoro would be able to tell that it was not beating any longer.

It made Law wonder if he was hallucinating this all.

"How?"

"I gave you my heart in a literal sense." Law explained softly. "I took yours in return, to give me enough time to save you. Your heart had almost stopped, but I shocked the heart, to keep myself alive to finish the surgery. I couldn't have saved you if I had ceased breathing before the operation was complete."

"So I really am going to carry you with me wherever I go." Zoro slowly nuzzled his way along Law's neck as he let out a short laugh. "Your powers really are very strange."

"You need to let me go." Law, with a sense of finality, pulled out of Zoro's embrace and looked him in the eye. "If you truly love me, then you will live on and protect your friends."

"I already intended to do that." Zoro rested a hand on Law's forearm, tracing the tanned skin lightly. "I'll see you again someday."

"Go." Law's lips twitched into a saddened smile before he shook his head. "My time is up, Zoro-ya."

Zoro gripped Law's shoulder tightly.

"I will see you again." Zoro said firmly, his tone willing Law to believe in him.

"Goodbye." Law's words were nearly inaudible, though the tone indicated that he desperately wanted to believe that he would see Zoro again.

There was no response.

Law was all alone and now his consciousness, or whatever it was, was fading away. He wouldn't get to see what happened to the world, nor whether Luffy would become king of the pirates. But there was one thing that Law carried with him as his devil fruit released him, apart from Zoro's unbeating heart that was now his own. Law took with him the knowledge that he had saved someone he had come to love.

It was enough.

Law closed his eyes and allowed the darkness to sweep what remained of who he was away into nothingness, though before he was completely gone, Law wondered if he would see Corazon and his family again.

A hand reached out for him in the darkness that had become his world, and Law reached out to take it. He heard voices he'd never thought he'd hear again, and had he been able to speak, he would have expressed joy, an emotion that didn't normally come to him. Instead, Law was enveloped in many arms, in hugs, giving him love and warmth and reassurance. His family was surrounding him, greeting him. And then another person joined in to hug him, feathers brushing against his face.

Corazon.

Law didn't need any more reassurance than that, but he lingered on, unable to stand the thought of leaving without another loved one in tow, as selfish as it was.

Zoro-ya.

-x-x-x-

Zoro came out of his near death state, and found that he was still alone on the winter island, alongside Law's body. Zoro felt something like sullenness rise from his blade, until he cleaned it and made as if to sheathe it. The blade sliced into his forearm. Zoro paused, narrowing his eye at the blade. "What's gotten into you, Shusui?" Cleaning it again, he was able to sheathe the blade this time without incident.

Shaking his head, Zoro knelt next to Law, reaching out with a hand to rest it on a shoulder. "You're an idiot." Zoro couldn't help but smile. "But I really did love you." Silent, Zoro sat there in the snow beside Law's body in a silent vigil, until Law's crew approached him hesitantly, like they were afraid of what they would find. Zoro could see the anguish in their eyes, some of the crew already opening weeping.

One of Zoro's crewmates must have told them what had happened.

Zoro rose, and stepped back, allowing the grieving Heart Pirates to surround their captain's lifeless body. Bepo, Shachi and Penguin were crying the hardest. Zoro stood a respectful distance away, reluctant to leave Law's body where it was, but understood a crew's devotion to their captain, should it be earned. Zoro must have been staring off into the distance, because one of Law's crewmates approached him. The ridiculous Penguin on top of the man's hat indicated who he was.

"We talked to your captain and crewmates…they said…if you wanted to, that you could come with us while we…" Penguin motioned in the direction of where Law lie. "They said they'd wait for you."

"Luffy?" Zoro asked simply.

"He thought you should go with us..."

"Do you want me to go?" Zoro asked bluntly.

Shaded eyes met Zoro's one eyed gaze. "The captain doesn't let people get close to him. You were the first he'd been so…happy around."

"Then I'll go." Zoro said firmly.

Penguin didn't say anything more, and Zoro merely trailed along after the Heart Pirate crew, Bepo carefully cradling Law in his paws, as if he was merely sleeping.

It was painful to watch.

-x-x-x

It took weeks to reach their destination, but Zoro checked in frequently with his crewmates to let them know he was all right, and to get updates on what was going on. Finally, after what seemed like such a long journey, Zoro felt the submarine surface, and wandered out of Law's cabin, to find the Heart Pirates clustered together. The mood had been subdued for the entirety of the trip.

"Where are we?" Zoro asked when he observed an island in the distance from where the ship had surfaced.

"Flevance."

Zoro sensed there was a story there, but didn't ask. He got into one of the smaller boats the Heart Pirate crew had, and as they made their way to the island, Zoro stared down at the coffin the crew had fashioned. Discreetly, Zoro ran a hand along it, picturing the man inside. Zoro's hand dropped, and he turned his attention to the island, frowning when he could see that the land was in ruins.

"What happened?"

"The government and navy happened."

Zoro didn't say anything, and merely helped the crew maneuver the coffin out of the boat, and began the long walk through a ruined city, still and silent, and Zoro tactfully pretended to not notice the bones. Though he wondered why Law would want to be buried here, he figured the other swordsman had had his reasons. The procession ended up going all the way across the island, until they came across a few pure white trees overlooking the sea up on top of a cliff.

"It looks like some of the wildlife came back to this island." Bepo said quietly, spotting some small animal scurry away from the group of pirates.

"I think he'd like to be able to be near the sea." Penguin said softly. "He did like to travel."

Zoro silently took a shovel from one of the crew and joined a few others in digging, putting it out of his mind what he was doing, as other Heart Pirates worked on some rock nearby for a headstone.

"It's a pretty rock." One of the crew commented.

"Aye, but make sure you wear gloves. This is probably full of amber lead."

"A poison." Another added.

The crew not working with gloves kept a safe distance.

Using a dye, the crew member etching into the stone stained it so the words could be made out clearly against the white. Everything took well into the day to finish, but by late evening, the coffin had been lowered, and covered, and the rock maneuvered over the freshly laid soil. The Heart Pirates stood in respectful silence, many beginning to weep again.

Zoro took Kikoku from Bepo, and jammed the bottom of the sheathe into the ground next to the rock. Another crewmate rested Law's hat over the hilt with shaky hands. Another placed a single coin down, and caught Zoro watching him.

"It's an anniversary coin." The crewmate supplied. "Captain liked collecting them."

"…I can ask one of my crewmates to make a box." Zoro said eventually. "That way, the coins won't tarnish from the elements." When no one said anything but nodding in agreement to his words, Zoro left the Heart Pirates to their grieving, many of them finally having it sink in that their captain was gone. Zoro wasn't sure how long he wandered the ruined city, until Penguin approached him.

"We're going to stay here for a time."

"My crewmates said they'll wait for me." Zoro said quietly. "Take all the time you need."

Penguin nodded, and, hesitating, added. "We're going back to the ship for now."

Meaning that Zoro could go to the grave and be alone, if he wanted to.

Zoro nodded his head, and he and Penguin parted ways.

Zoro found the grave without getting lost along the way, and stared down at the makeshift headstone, before he lowered himself into a seated position. Zoro stayed for a time, silently thinking about in how short a time he had actually begun to love Law. It was funny, but also not so unexpected. Zoro had always figured that life was short, for a pirate, anyway, and that one had to take hold of what they wanted if they wanted it to mean anything.

Zoro had wanted Law, but now he was gone. Zoro felt moisture at the corner of his eye as he closed it. A moment passed, before he placed his hands together and bowed his head. Ordinarily he only would have made such a gesture for his dead blades, but it seemed appropriate now to do so for his dead lover.

Respect from one swordsman to another.

"Thank you, for letting me love you."

-x-x-x-

Months later, on Flevance…

"I'm back." Zoro sat before the gravestone, his katana settled on the ground alongside him. Zoro stared for a moment at the way Kikoku had remained partially buried in the ground to stand guard over its late owner, the purple cords swaying gently in the breeze. The white spotted hat had been frayed here and there, but remained over the hilt of the nodachi.

"A lot has happened, now that you're gone." Zoro closed his eye. "This immortality is strange. I keep forgetting that I can fight without fear of dying. But I can't fight that way, so I have to tell myself I could be mortally wounded. Keeps me from becoming sloppy with my blades." Zoro produced a bottle of sake and a cup. "I know you don't like parties, but I figured you wouldn't mind a drink." Zoro poured sake into the cup and set it before the grave before drinking out of the bottle himself.

"My crew hopes that I can move on." Zoro took a drink of the sake as he eyed the letters etched in the stone, the dye stark against the white of the stone. "I understand why you saved me, but you're still an idiot for doing it. You had your own crew to look after." Zoro smiled. "They're doing well, by the way, even though they miss you. No one has stepped up to being a captain. They've just been causing trouble for the marines in your name."

Zoro closed his eyes after finishing the sake and enjoyed the silence and the breeze. Maybe he was imagining it, but he could have sworn that he felt a presence by his left side. A sensation of a head pressing against his shoulder. But the moment passed when Zoro opened his eye. No one was there by his side. Zoro stood up, and reached out to rest a palm lightly against Kikoku's sheathe. "You keep watch over your master well. I brought some supplies with me this time."

Zoro gently removed Law's hat, and rested it on the headstone. With careful reverence, Zoro drew Kikoku, and eyed the blade in the light. "Looks like you could do with some polishing." The blade seemed to flare to life, as if the blade were eager. "Calm down. There aren't any enemies around." Zoro sat back down, and began to polish the blade bit by bit, feeling the thrumming beneath his fingers from the nodachi. "Someone likes being cleaned." Zoro could feel some resentment rising from his own katana but silenced it. "I just polished you all up this morning. Be nice. You remember crossing blades with this one. Law can't take care of Kikoku anymore, so I will."

Zoro passed the time cleaning the nodachi, and when he was satisfied, he gave it a few experimental swings, before he replaced it in its sheathe.

"I'll visit you again soon." Zoro began to walk away from the grave, but almost stumbled when it felt as if someone had given him a shove in the middle of his back. As if to urge the green haired swordsman away. Zoro smiled, and without turning around, spoke aloud. "You'll have to do more than that to make me stop visiting you, Law. You saved me." Zoro stared to walk again. "The very least I can do is visit you from time to time to let you know that you haven't been forgotten."

-x-x-x-

Zoro kept his word.

Even as time passed, and people slowly began to forget about the Surgeon of Death, Zoro, immortal and unable to die, continued to visit Law's grave, to keep the other man's memory alive as promised. Because Zoro had known that Law's crew would eventually die, and apart from them, only Zoro remembered him clearly. Zoro eventually had to conceded, many years later, what he had known for some time. While Law may have saved Zoro's life, in return, Zoro would never see him again. The rest of the Straw Hat crew had passed on some years ago, some from battle, others from old age. Brook had left on a journey of his own years later, his Devil Fruit keeping him in a dead-alive state, and their paths hardly crossed after that.

Luffy had brought and held the crew together. Without him, those who had lived drifted apart despite keeping contact, until there was only Brook and Zoro left.

Zoro was alone again, after having seen seeing Brook a few years back. Though Zoro was alone, the memories of his now dead crewmates remained with him, their faces still clear to him. In order to not cave in from the sadness of being alone, Zoro kept himself occupied with training, and training other people who sought him out, as Mihawk had done for him all those years ago. Apart from training, Zoro took solace in going to Law's grave after visiting those of his crewmates.

The comfort Zoro drew from polishing Kikoku became sadder as time wore on, because Zoro could tell, with every passing year, that the nodachi responded to him less and less. Zoro used to be able to sense what felt like sentience from the cursed nodachi, but now, there was less of a response. It was as if Kikoku was dying slowly, bit by bit, like it couldn't bear to have another master after Law. At the thought of his lover, Zoro looked at Law's name on the stone.

"Maybe Kikoku will be with you soon."

A few years later, and Kikoku made no response at all to Zoro's handling. When Zoro replaced the blade in its sheathe, and set the tattered spotted hat over the hilt, Zoro sat down before the blade, brought his hands together, and bowed his head. The blade had lasted a long time without a wielder, and Zoro could tell, even without input from his own blades, that Kikoku was no longer cursed, and was just a plain nodachi once more.

Whatever had cursed the blade in the first place was now gone.

-x-x-x-

Zoro received a visit a decade or so later when he was at Law's grave.

"There you are."

Zoro looked away from the headstone, in the direction of the voice he hadn't heard for at least five years.

Brook.

Zoro gave his old crewmate a nod.

"Flevance." Brook looked back the way he had come, the skeleton somehow appearing sad. "I heard about it from Law, after we had left Dressrosa. The government had ordered this place to be razed to the ground, and its citizens killed, despite the fact that amber lead disease wasn't contagious." Brook turned back to Zoro, and laughed at the frown on the swordsman's face. "Yohoho. I guess you're wondering why I'm here?"

Zoro waited.

"I was asked to locate you and see if you would come to Wano. Lord Momonosuke was hoping that he could retain our services in a skirmish due to a dispute."

Zoro retrieved his katana and rose to his feet, nodding to his old crewmate. "Lead the way."

A distraction was always nice, as it allowed Zoro to not dwell on the past.

-x-x-x-

Another year, another visit to the graves of his friends, with a new addition. Someone had finally found a way to destroy Brook's body for good, and not even the Devil Fruit could keep the skeleton alive any longer. Another friend lost. One who had come back into his life now and again to keep him company, as Brook had known what it was like to lose crewmates.

It was funny, really, that even with his bad sense of direction, Zoro never forgot how to find his way to his friends final resting places, or Law's. Before Zoro had even realized it, he had developed a routine when visiting all of the graves. He gave an offering of some sort, that he placed by each of the graves, which was usually something that reminded him of his crewmates when they came to mind.

Some meat for Luffy, a tangerine for Nami, some new gadget for Usopp, candy for Chopper, books for Robin, whatever cola he could find for Franky, and new compositions of music he found while roaming around for Brook. Zoro took amusement in putting random crap on Sanji's grave, usually a dead fish of some type or a random cigarette butt, thinking the blond haired cook would appreciate the thought. Zoro had a feeling Sanji would have come up out of his grave to kick the crap out of him if at all possible, and shout 'shitty mosshead' at him so that Zoro could return the shout with 'shitty love cook.'

At Law's grave, Zoro's routine was polishing Kikoku's blade, despite it no longer being cursed and in need of polishing, and spent time talking about what was happening in the world, as well as bringing Law coins. There was a small box that Usopp had made for Zoro when asked, many long years ago, and it lie, withstanding the elements, next to Kikoku.

Zoro's hand rested on the box as his eye fixed on the headstone once more. Talking aloud wasn't the same as holding Law in his arms or feeling his lover's warmth, nor was it a substitute for those times when they lazed about in bed tangled within one another's limbs. Visiting his crewmates graves paled in comparison to seeing them in person, and participating in their shared madness for an adventure started by Luffy, who had brought them all together in the first place.

Yet memories and graves were all Zoro had left, along with a lingering sense of grief for his lost friends. It was a grief that extended to a love that he had found, and lost, too soon.

Immortality wasn't a fair exchange for a life that Zoro had been perfectly content with, where he had had his friends, and perhaps something more, with Law.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

A/N: I am really rather curious what people thought of this, if you made it all the way through the fic. I spent the whole weekend editing because I was...excited (?) to share this and would love any feedback (also just happy I actually wrote something with a beginning, middle and end lol). I do think some areas here and there could use some work, but overall, I'm satisfied with how it turned out.


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